Crucible glass feeder



All@ 6 1940- c. c. cooK Erm. 2,210,617

CRUCIBLE GLASS FEEDER Filed Aug. 5, 1938 s sheets-sheet 1 Allgt 6,.1940 c. c. cooK ET Al. 2.210,617

CRUCIBLE GLASS FEEDER Filed Aug. 5. 19:58 s sheets-sheet 2 ATT ORN EYS Patented-Aug. 6, .1940

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE cEUcmLE GLASS FEEDER Clyde c. oook' and David W. cook, clarion, Pa. Application August 5, 193s, serial No. 223,364

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a crucible glass feeder.

In: the present day method of melting, refining and feeding glassftthe batch is melted in a` With this disadvantage in mind, the present in-v vention provides apparatus in which the molten glass is fed from the crucible until it is completely drained so that no dormant glass can form in the `crucible to cause cord.

t Cord may also be formed by the merging of two different temperatures of glass', land this occurs in the present day of melting, rening and feeding glass, because the outer surface of the con-- tainer in which the glass batch is melted, refined and fed, is exposed to atmospheric temperatures. Atmospheric temperature lowers the temperature of the glass that is in contact with the container while the glass nearer the center is Aof higher temperature thus causing cord.

y To eliminate this condition the present invention provides apparatus in which the batch is melted, rened and fed while being completely ,surrounded by ame so that the crucible and the body of glass .are always of the same temperature.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus in which the glass batch is melted, reiined and fed from the same container to reduce the amount of fuelrequired per ton of glassware producedover the present day practice. 'For instance, in the present way of melting, refining and feeding, the batch is completely melted and 40' refined in other containers apart from the feeding device. Ordinarily, after the batch has been completely melted into molten glass, the glass then passes from a channel into a refining compartment which must be held at a high temperature and requires a considerable amount of fuel.

The glass then passes Vthrough long channels,.

which also must be kept heated, and this requires a large amou'nt of fuel. The molten glass then enters the feeder which also must have fuel burners to kep the glass at working temperature. Also a large percentage of heat energy escapes by radiation through this entire construction be cause the whole construction is exposed to atmospheric temperature. In accordance with the pres- 55 ent invention the llame is directed upon the glass batch, where it spends its greatest energy and is then drawn around the outside of the crucible thereby melting the batch within. A selective and controlled portion of the ame is drawn underneath the crucible and around the outside of 5 the feeder well to control the temperature of the glass flowing within. The ame then passes to Various flues and out through a damper controlled main flue to the annealing furnace where the flame is used to anneal the glassware.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to l5 Within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any`of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings forming part l of this specification,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of aA crucible glass feeder constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional viewv taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1. Y

Figure 3 is a cross sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view showing the feeding mechanism.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a modified form oi 30 the invention,`drawn to reduced scale, and showing a partition in the crucible to permit different colors of glass being treated.

Referring now to the drawings in which like characters of reference designate similar parts 3l inthe various views, II) designates an oven which is substantially cylindrical in contour and is provided with an arched top II having openings I2 therein which are normally closed by plugs I3. The plugs may be removed to permit the batch of glass to be inserted in the crucible I4 through the medium of chutes or otherwise. The wall 0f the even is provided with irisulationas shown at I5 and also the arched top I I is provided with insulation as shown `at I6.

An annular fuel pipe II is secured in any preferred manner above the arched top I I and concentric therewith, and is provided with a plurality of fuel nozzles I8 which are disposed in registration with respectve openings I9 in the top I^I 50 to direct the Iiame downward upon the top of the glass batch in the crucible I4.

The crucible I4 is concentrically disposed within the oven I0 and has its top spaced from the topr II of the oven while the wall of the crucible 55 is spaced from the wall of the oven sc that the flame' may be deflected from the glass batch outwardly and pass downwardly-in the oven along the wall of the crucible thence underneath the crucible so that the glass batch will be entirely surrounded by flame.

The crucible is supported upon the edges oi vertically disposed partitions which extend radially in the oven and project underneath the bottom'of the crucible.

The oven lll is provided with a bottom. wall 2l and below this bottom wall is provided with a second bottom wall 22. A platform 23 extends underneath the oven to support the same. A.The superposed bottom walls 2l and 22 are spaced apart by spacers 24. The uppermost bottom wall 2| is provided centrally with Van opening 25 which establishes communication between the chamber in the oven outside of the crucible and the flues formed by the spacers 25 between both lbottom walls. The lowermost bottom wall is the crucible, then outward vover -the edge of the `crucible and downward along the wall of the Crucible, thence underneath'A the bottom of the crucible, thence through the opening 25 in the uppermost bottom wall of the ovenl thence through the spaces between the spacers under neath thel uppermost wall and thence outward through the ilue 28, part of the am passing from above the uppermost bottom wall .of the oventhrough the port 3l into the ue 32. From these' nues' the'ame is conducted by a common ue 34- to the annealing furnace.

While passing through the opening 25 the flame heats the upstanding-wall 35 of a' conventional nozzle 36 which is-concentrically. disposed in the bottom wall of the oven, with relation to the crucible and heats the nozzle so that' the'molten glass flowing through the discharge opening 31 in the bottom .of the crucible will be heated and maintained in a working condition,rwhile being severed vby the conventional shear .38 disposed below'the nozzle. i l

The flow of molten glass' through the discharge opening 31 in the Crucible is controlled through the medium of a control tube 39 which enters .the

crucible through the arched top of the oven, and a forming rtube 40 which is axially mounted. in the control tube. The control tube is provided with an enlarged lower end having the ledge dis-A posed ina plane oblique to the Iaxis of the tube so that .an -opening will always exist between the bottom of .the tube and the bottom of the crucible through which all of the contents of the crucible will drain, the ratebf discharge being controlled in' part by raising or lowering the tube to increase or diminish the size of. the opening.

The forming tube projects through the open-v alternately diminished and increased pressure is fed to the forming tube through the medium of a conventional impulse device .comprising av diaphragm 4l having its stem 42 moved by a driven cam 43 through a return cycle to maintain a pulse in the air column timed according to the shape of the cam. j

The rate of flow through the opening 31 may be controlled by raising or lowering the forming tube 40 so that a greater or less distance will be eiected between the lower end of the tube and the nozzle.- For this purpose a manually rotatable shaft mechanism designated in general by the numeral 44 is providedwith a screw 45 having a nut d6 thereon which is pivotally connected to an annular rock lever 61 having the free leg pivotally connected in any preferred manner'to the upper end of the forming tube.

The rate of the discharged gob of glass is controlled by` controlling the level of molten glass in the control tube 39. This is accomplished by raising or lowering the control tube to increase or diminish the space between it and the ybottom. of the Crucible. For this purpose the Vupper end of the control tube is equipped with a cylindrical hub 4B which is mounted to slide vertically in a bearing 49 carried by a bracketv connected intermediate its ends to a standard l 53 which rises from thefsupport 5l. One end of the lever is pivotally connectedin any preferred manner to the hub 48 and the 'opposite end of the lever is pivotally connected in any preferred manner to a nut 54 mounted on a feed screw 55 which is actuated through the medium of a. reversing motor 56, there being a reduction gear mechanism 51 of conventional type which connectsA the motor shaft to the feed `screw 55. Usually the motor is actuated by remote control, through the medium of a Weighing device of conventional type. Y A thermocouple `58 is mounted in the arched top- Il of the oven and thermocouples 59 and 60 arel mounted respectively in the nozzle and in the opening 25 in the bottom of the oven. These thermocouples are connected as usual to respective potentiometer-.type control relays for maintaining any predetermined temperature of the ame. Y

In Figure 5 there is shown a modified form of the invention in which the only change is that a partition B I is providedto divide the Crucible into compartments which respectively receive distinctively colored glass batches to be simultaneously melted and blended when the forming tube 4u is raised to anew .both materiaal-.ches

to flow through the discharge'opening and intermingle while flowing to provide a multicolored y glass product.

In operation the flame from 'the burning fuel terior surface of the crucible, as well as the exterior surface ofthe nozzleV I5 to maintain' these parts heatedto the desired temperature. Thus it will be seen-.that the glass batch'is melted, refined and fed from a single crucible so that a great economy in fuel is promoted while at the same time loss of fuel efliciency through conduction is positivew prevented by the insulation Y I5 on the walls and top of the oven.

From the above description it is thought that the constructionand operation of theinvention will be fully understood without further explanation. l

" What is claimed is:

.1 A cruciblef'glass feeder comprising an oven,

means for directing a flamev downward into the oven, a crucible in the oven. said crucible lbeing arranged to intercept the flame as it enters the oven, means spacing the crucible throughout its entire exterior surface from the' oven, superposed bottom walls for the oven forming a passage therebetween through which the flame may Vescape from underneath the crucible and pass outwardly to the exterior of the oven, a discharge nozzle depending from the crucible in the path 'oi' said flame, a control tube disposed axially in' end disposed in the nozzle.

2. A crucible glass feeder comprising an insulated oven, means for directing iiame downwardly Vthrough `the top of the oven to the interior of the oven, a crucible in the oven adapted to intercept the llame and spread the name toward the sides of the oven, a discharge nozzle connected with the bottom` of the crucible and opening through the bottom of the oven, a control tube depending from the top `of the oven and having the open bottom disposed in a. plane oblique to the axis of the tube for establishing communication between the crucible and the nozzle, a forming tube disposed axially in the control tube and having the lower end disposed in the nozzle, means for moving the control tube and forming tube-relatively to each other to regulate the discharge of molten metal through the nozzle, and means supporting the crucible in the oven and forming channels through which name may pass downward through the entire exterior of the crucible and against the nozzle, thence to the exterior of the-oven.

CLYDE C, COOK. DAVID W. (100K. 

